]]>Come May and we will witness Nvidia’s first foray into the TV console gaming market. The graphics giant, more known for its cutting edge GPUs, has been for the last couple of years trying to branch into a market dominated by the other three big players: Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo.

The console which Nvidia calls the “Android TV console” is to come with a very powerful Tegra K1 processor, a Maxwell-generation GPU and 3 gigs of ram, running a version of Android.

The Shield’s hardware specs are weaker than both the PlayStation 4 and the XBox One, with Nvidia claiming performance figures to be twice that of the previous generation PS3 and the Xbox 360. However, what sets the Shield apart from its competitors is its advertised ability to stream 1080p resolution 60 fps gaming into your TV (where all the computing is done by Nvidia’s server farms via Nvidia’s grid service).

Needless to say, stable, high-speed internet connectivity is a must-have for this feature, with Nvidia recommending 15 Mbps.

Not only that, some of the year’s most anticipated games which include the latest iterations of the Witcher and Metal Gear Solid saga, will be available on launch for the Shield. Although the initial library will be small, this will likely be expanded rapidly in the future and with both AAA and Android games made available. So, if there’s one thing that you can be certain of about the forthcoming Shield console, it’s the obvious fact that running out of good games is unlikely to be an issue – ever!

Nvidia’s approach certainly throws a new insight into the gaming industry. As today’s state-of-the-art hardware becomes average and then obsolete within a span of not more than 2-3 years, Nvidia’s champion with its cloud computing prowess could save a lot in expensive and regular hardware updates. Also, with its versatility and ability to stream 4k video output, Shield definitely has the potential to entice a lot of PC gamers who are looking to play their games on bigger screens and also want the accessibility of a console.

However, while the Tegra K1 processor is very capable, it will no doubt be surpassed by something more powerful sooner rather than later – especially if we choose to take the pace set in the Smartphone market as an indicator. This implies that Nvidia may be banking more on a strategy of much faster console upgrades, compared to current industry practice of following usually ten year cycles.

Even with its purported versatility, Nvidia’s offering may not get enough time to build its fan base before being eclipsed by the next upgraded model. Consumers may also shy away from the fact that while they will have upgrade their more traditional consoles once every ten years, going with the Shield might entail a more frequent and hence expensive upgrade cycle.

However, with the Shield being priced at $ 199 in the US, it is also cheaper than its competitors. This might assuage some of the upgrade fears. If the Shield can achieve its potential, very soon we might have a device that is not only capable of streaming 4k resolution output; but is also a dedicated gaming console to boot.

So, do you think Nvidia’s Shield has the potential to make it big in the worldwide gaming console market? Feel free to share your thoughts using the comment box below.

]]>Consider this: The video gaming industry is now bigger than Hollywood. And with new games being released every other day, it is indeed the rare gem that comes along with compelling characters and a convincing plot, and manages to stay with us long after we have beat the game itself. Everybody has their own favourites, but these are a few which came out in the last couple of years that we feel you must try out. With all the hallmarks that make a great game, in no particular order:

In a very crowded genre, Dark Souls 2 and its earlier iterations, Dark Souls and Demon’s souls stand out. Where most RPGs today literally handhold the player like a toddler, Dark Souls might even be termed as difficult. Starting out, be prepared to die a couple of times before you get a feel of the game and its controls. Starting out might feel quite daunting, but once you pass the initial hurdle, a world rich in lore and characters is out there for you to explore. Dark Souls above all asks for your undivided attention. Most enemy NPC’s can and will kill you if you do not pay attention and learn to exploit their attack patterns and weak spots. But with a atmosphere bursting with character and rich lore, this is one game you will be glad that you decided to try out. Praise the Sun.

If it is depth of the lore behind the character or the believable world that draws you to a game, then look no further than the Witcher 2. Very few games can tell a story the way the Witcher series does. The game world is filled with characters, real characters which you can really associate with as the story progresses. You play as Geralt of Rivia, a master swordsman and professional monster hunter; recovering from amnesia and trying to clear his name from a charge of regicide. As you progress, you can witness firsthand the impact of the decisions you made during the game has on the world arnound you. And it is the very manner in which the Wicher conveys the impact of your choices on the world at large means that a single playthrough is almost never enough to fully experience the myriad of decisions and the characters that await your exploration. If you haven’t tried out the Witcher games by now, now is any good time as any with the Witcher 3 coming out in May.

Availability: PS 3/ XBOX 360/Windows

Genre: RPG

Online Playability: Single Player only

Bioshock: Infinite

Carrying forward the spiritual legacy of System Shock and the Bioshock universe, Infinite does a really commendable job in creating what is probably one of the best atmospheres of recent games. Bioshock put you in Rapture, a dystopic underwater city and Infinte carries the idea literally into the clouds, in the shape of Cloumbia, a city floating in the clouds. Of course, it would not be a Bioshock without the characters themselves. And Infinite is no slouch in this regard either. With Elizabeth, an NPC who is along with you every step of the way; Infinite makes sure that her story is something which will touch you deeply as you try and untangle the tale of the city itself. And with an ending that is sure to stay with you for a long time, Bioshock: Infinite is a must play.

]]>https://www.worldtvpc.com/blog/three-most-exciting-virtual-worlds-that-you-must-experience-if-you-havent-already/feed/0Ubisoft Creation Assassins Creed Joins the Original Games Becoming a Film – Set For Release in December 2016https://www.worldtvpc.com/blog/ubisoft-creation-assassins-creed-joins-the-original-games-becoming-a-film-set-for-release-in-december-2016/
https://www.worldtvpc.com/blog/ubisoft-creation-assassins-creed-joins-the-original-games-becoming-a-film-set-for-release-in-december-2016/#commentsSat, 21 Mar 2015 13:18:14 +0000http://www.worldtvpc.com/blog/?p=43803
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]]>With so much speculation, many delays and rumoured cancellation of the project, Ubisoft’s Assassins Creed is finally making its way to the big screen, but not until 21 December 2016. Even though the release is still some time away, there are some details which have emerged. Its been announced that Michael Fassbender, star of Inglourious Basterds, Prometheus and 12 Years a Slave, has been bought on board to play two roles.

Who they are though, is still a mystery, as the story is very much under wraps. An educated guess would be a present day role, and an historical figure, much how the game series has its two protagonists.

What is known though is the plot to the film will be an entirely original story, separate from the game series. The original game in the series followed Desmond Miles, a bartender who is kidnapped by Abstergo Industries who force him to use a machine which allows the user to replay genetic memories from ancestors, the Animus. A device that can read individuals DNA and access memories from distant bloodlines. In Desmond’s case, it is Altaïr, an assassin from the time of the Crusades. It was thought at first, that the film would be an adaptation of the first game, but Ubisoft have decided to move in a different direction, one that will be welcomed by fans as the film would work alongside the game series in continuity, perhaps even bridging gaps between film and game.

Directing the film will be Justin Kurzel, best known for The Snowtown Murders (2011), and writing duties will fall to Bill Cooper, Adam Collage and Michael Lesslie. Details of the plot are few, but what is rumoured is that the historical setting will be during the Spanish Inquisition and the assassin is Aguilar de Agarorobo. Present day, Fassbender will play Michael Lynch, a death row inmate who has no choice but to be used in experiments using a device similar to the Animus. Each Assassins Creed game takes place during different parts of history. The first being the Crusades, then the Renaissance period in Florence, Italy, the third game sees the action taking place during the American Revolution and finally 18th century Caribbean, the golden age of piracy.

Fans of the series are surely holding their breath in the hope that the film can do the series justice, and not fall down a familiar trap of turning good games into terrible films. But by the early look of things, it seems that it isn’t just Hollywood taking the name and running with it, with an original story and a strong lead, Assassins Creed is hoping to do the series justice. And to prove video games can be made into good films.

]]>The new Sony Morpheus Virtual Reality headset is scheduled to officially launch sometime next year, though no specific launch date has been set as of yet. In hands-on demos of the device, Sony’s VR headset is proving to be a more stylish and comfortable option when compared to the headsets of its big-named competitors.

Shu Yoshida, the president of Sony Worldwide Studios unveiled the 2nd version of the Morpheus headset this past Tuesday. This is the device’s first main update since the tech industry giant initially announced it at GDC 2014 (Game Developers Conference).

The new update gave the Sony Morpheus VR device a 5.7-inch screen that features a 1920 x 1080p RGB OLED display and latency that “clocks in” at fewer than 18 milliseconds. It has a refresh rate of 120 frames per second and a 100-degree field of view.

During the demo, the 100-degree view meant there was still black at the edges of the user’s vision, but there is no noticeable latency whatsoever. Everything had a smooth and responsive feel to it. The “screen door effect” is minimal and barely noticeable at all unless you’re specifically looking for it.

The goggles of the Sony Project Morpheus VR headset are not distracting; the headset itself could easily be the most comfortable one out there thus far. The adjustable strap helps to keep the device’s weight on your head and not on your nose. It gives a sensation that the headset is “floating in front of your face.” It is very easy to focus on being in the virtual reality environment.

The PS Move controllers are held in the user’s hands. They are joysticks with bulbs at the top, and they track the user’s hands, but not their fingers, and they feature triggers for gun-shooting and other actions.

Richard Marks, the Sony R&D lead says the company plans to make small changes to Morpheus before its official release next year, but the most important goal is to focus on awareness.

]]>At the GDC in San Francisco, CA, Nvidia revealed its new Android TV console. The company already has the Shield handheld console and a Shield tablet device, and now this Android TV set-top box will be the third and newest addition to the Nvidia Shield family of devices.

The set-top box has a retail selling price of $199.00, and it comes with its own controller. It runs the recently-launched Google Android TV platform. It’s powered by Nvidia’s own processor, the Tegra X1, which features a 256-core Maxwell architecture GPU and a 64-bit CPU.

The company says there are more than 50 Android titles that will be optimized for its new Shield device, and that some of the top game publishers and developers in the world have embraced Shield and the GRID service. Nvidia also revealed a 1080p game-streaming service, a service that is enabled by the Grid server GPU platform.

The price of the new Nvidia Shield set-top box is more expensive than the Amazon Fire TV at $99, the Roku devices at $50-$100, and the Apple TV at $99. However, the gaming capabilities of the Shield device are significantly superior.

Nvidia’s initially launched Shield back in July of 2013 and last quarter, Shield was one of the first devices to receive the Google Android 5.0 Lollipop OS upgrade.

The company’s goal is to focus on continued development of the Android gaming market. Currently, the Android OS platform is the largest in the world and Nvidia believes it will eventually become one of the biggest gaming platforms in the world as well. The company plans on leveraging the 15 to 20 years of expertise and capability it has developed in the PC industry for the Android gaming market.

]]>Retailers are currently giving away a free PlayStation TV with every purchase of a new Sony PlayStation 4 video game console.

To add the fine print into the deal, the actual offer states that you have to purchase a PlayStation 4 video gaming console and a 1-year subscription to PlayStation Plus in order to qualify for the free PlayStation TV micro-console.

The actual retail price of the PlayStation TV device is $80 alone; therefore, getting it for free with the PS4 and PS Plus subscription is actually a pretty worthwhile deal. You can set up the PS4 console in one room and hook up your PS TV mini-console in another room. You can stream PS 4 content as well as play old school games on the PS TV device.

The PSTV device is a palm-sized mini-console that you can use to play games that have been purchased on PSN (Playstation Network) and digital versions of PS Vita games as well. It also features a Vita card slot, just in case you want to use your hard drive space for PS One old school classics and/or downloadable games. You also have access to a variety of apps and services such as PS Now which lets you stream even more games from the PS 3 era. The PSTV can also stream content from your PS4 and access it from another room.

Note: You do have to use a PS 3 controller in order to use the PSTV device.

Overall, the deal is a pretty good one, however, it could be a telltale sign as to how well (or not so well) the PlayStation TV is doing in the U.S.

]]>1983, one year after Steven Spielberg’s multi-Oscar winning film ET was released, Atari released the game tie-in that ultimately caused their downfall. Atari secured the rights to ET for an incredible $22million, and after successfully releasing the Raiders of the Lost Ark game tie-in a year previously, the ET game should be another sure fire hit. But unfortunately for Howard Scott Warshaw, the man who was chosen by Spielberg himself to create the Raiders tie-in, was also chosen to make the ET game. But unfortunately for Warshaw, he wasn’t afforded the same amount of time that he was given for the Indiana Jones game, this time he only had five weeks as Atari wanted the game out for Christmas.

At the time, Warshaw relished the challenge, setting up at home, he would spend the next five weeks doing nothing but eating, sleeping and designing the game from scratch. Warshaw wanted to come up with not just another rehashed game but an original, innovative game. After completing the game in such a short time, Warshaw was pleased with what he had achieved. Spielberg even played it and gave it the green light of approval. The game was released and initially sold well, in part due to the hype, but things soon turned sour.

Gameplay issues were cropping up everywhere, from ET being trapped in pits to gameplay crippling glitches. Soon, the shops and distributors started returning the game back to Atari en masse. Atari initially, rather optimistically, made 5million copies of the game. It was this disastrous move by Atari that eventually cost them the entire company, as Atari was sold after losing almost $563million. With the entire back catalogue of Atari now sitting gathering dust, the majority of games in fact being ET, they decided it was probably best for everyone that they simply buried everything, in the desert no less. So on 22nd September 1983, a convoy of trucks drove into the New Mexican desert, all holding Atari’s not so precious cargo, and emptied their contents into a landfill site and buried, to be completely forgotten.

But that wasn’t the case, as word soon got out, scavengers arrived on the scene and unearthed millions of copies of ET and other Atari games that were not supposed to see the light of day again. Then in April of 2014, a documentary film crew turned up to start shooting Atari: Game Over, a film documenting the drastic decline of one of the biggest games developers during the 80s. Directing the film is Zak Penn, who wrote X-Men: The Last Stand and The Incredible Hulk. The film looks to find the truth in the now infamous crash and burn of Atari, and the game that so many hold accountable for the downfall; ET. But it isn’t all because of that ill-fated rushed game, many factors caused the demise of Atari. Inflation and the hugely competitive home video game market all played their part. The film conducts interviews with those who were there at the time who unfortunately went down with the sinking ship. Howard Scott Warshaw himself features in the documentary, giving his side of the story and how he moved on from the experience, even as far as changing his career to a psychotherapist.

Whatever caused the downward spiral of Atari in the mid-eighties, it is clear to see the game tie-in ET will forever be remembered, not necessarily as the worst game of all time, but one that symbolised the demise of one of the biggest games companies, one that lead the invasion of homes, bringing the arcade into living rooms around the world.

]]>Online streaming movie conglomerate Netflix is supposedly in the first stages of making a new live-action TV series that is based on the well-known Nintendo video game classic Legend of Zelda franchise.

There are presently no in-depth details available about the alleged television series, however, sources have revealed that Netflix is planning on creating a “family-friendly Game of Thrones-like” TV show based on the Legend of Zelda theme. Currently, there is no detailed information being given by the company as to when the show may be premiering, nor if and/or when it may begin releasing sneak previews or other teasers of the planned show.

Apparently, Netflix and the Nintendo video game company have been working very closely together on the alleged television show, and it will be the first Nintendo-themed live-action media to be released in a significantly long time.

There may be somewhat of a good reason why it has been such a long amount of time since any Nintendo or other video game-based shows have been launched. Movies and television shows that have been based on Nintendo video games have not always been the most well-produced. The Super Mario Bros. animated television show and movie are both examples of this fact.

The new Legend of Zelda show, however, is purportedly still needing a writer, and this most likely means that it will still be a considerable amount of time before anything comes of Netflix’s news.

The Legend of Zelda franchise is a huge big-name one for Netflix to be basing a TV show on. Nintendo has released over 20 different Legend of Zelda video games ever since the year 1987. !987 was the debut year of the very first classic Legend of Zelda video game on the original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) console.

In 1989, an animated series of the Legend of Zelda was launched, however, the series only made it as far as 13 episodes before being cancelled. The show was planning on continuing with more episodes, but it was cancelled around the same time that animated Super Mario Bros. Super Show was cancelled by Nintendo that same year.

Netflix has not commented on the alleged Legend of Zelda show as of yet, but the news of the show does follow comments that were made last year by the president of the Nintendo company, Satoru Iwata, who had claimed that Nintendo was looking to “actively expand our character licensing business, including proactively finding appropriate partners.”

]]>Have you been hooked with watching horror movies lately or just anything gory? Well how about horror genre’ games? Sure watching horror movies is entertaining if you’re into those types of movies but wouldn’t it be much thrilling if you play it too? Don’t you think it’s more fun? I mean just watching and waiting for how it’s going to end, that’s too boring. It’s so much more exciting to play a game with a storyline too then it’s up to you on how long you can survive and win the game on how you’ll see the ending. Sure it’s a lot harder and longer but it sure as hell more entertaining.

The Evil Within also known as Psycho Break in Japan is a video game developed by Tango Gameworks and is released by Bathesda Softworks for the PlayStations 3 and 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One video game consoles and Microsoft Windows. It has a mix of supernatural, murder, and just downright gory. It definitely isn’t for little kids to play as they might actually have nightmares about this so don’t go playing this at your living room where they can see it right away but then again if there is none, play wherever you want. The game is really detailed from chopped of arms, to exploding intestines and other more. That’s just how gory it is.

This game is played from a third-person perspective and the main protagonist of this game is Sebastian “Seb” Castellanos who is a veteran police detective along with his comrades Juli “Kid” Kidman and Joseph Oda in trying to defeat the invincible apparition Ruvik.
Now the plot of the games with in the fictional place called Krimson City where the trio was presently investigating a gruesome mass murder at Beacon Mental Hospital when they suddenly encountered a malevolent and powerful force. He saw how his comrades were slaughtered before his eyes by a man wearing a white hood and that he was covered in burn scars when he was suddenly ambushed and knocked unconscious. When he woke up, Krimson City wasn’t just the same with it having undergone massive earthquakes, unreal shifts in terrain and these hideous creatures called Haunted wandering the landscape.

Now this game is all about survival and as you, the player would have to go scavenging hunting for supplies and learn how to fight and run when needed to. It’s really up to your decision as the player on what Sebastian would be doing and how Sebastian would suddenly be in a new location or even finding new paths. Sebastian would also have to use medical items to restore health; though not all them are useful s some may cause temporary hallucinogenic effects. You may also see that when you collect the vials of green fluid throughout the game, it can help Sebastian upgrade his abilities.

We can’t forget about the weapons. Don’t worry there is a lot of option to come up with like a revolver, sniper rifles, knives, grenades, shotgun and the most awesome one, the Agony Crossbow where when it is fired, the bolts would ether freeze, blind, electrocute or even make the enemies explode. Here is also one thing you need to more about the game, the enemies that you have defeated or incapacitated are capable of reviving. The only way for them to stay dead is by setting them on fire using limited supply of matches.
It can really be an addictive game that would make you stay up all night just so you could finish it.

]]>There’s a new PC, Mac and online browser compatible Ikea furniture-building game available for free called Home Improvisation. The game apparently gives its users the furniture pieces to be assembled; however, they must be assembled without the use of any instructions. It is up to the players of the game to determine what order to assemble the pieces of furniture in and where each furniture piece goes.

Gameplay of the new Ikea Home Improvisation game is pretty simple and uncomplicated. Players are able to rotate the three dimensional furniture parts and they are able to line them up and decide how to connect them.

The game itself has two significant and somewhat humorous real-world aspects that actually resemble the feeling of real-life Ikea furniture assemblage. The furniture pieces do not always rotate exactly the way you expect them to and this makes for more a difficult task of lining them up and connecting them. Also, the game’s AI is capable of recognizing that the players will not be able to assemble all of the furniture pieces correctly, therefore, as long as the completed furniture product stands up, players will be allowed to proceed to the next level of the game. For example, if a player’s lamp or desk turns out to be crooked and cannot stand up by itself, the player can actually lean it against a wall.

The Home Improvisation game was designed and created as part of Global Game Jam 2015. Gameplay control requires the use of a mouse and a keyboard or an Xbox 360 video game console controller that is connected to a computer. The free video game can also be played by a team of four players.

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]]>https://www.worldtvpc.com/blog/new-ikea-furniture-building-video-game-released/feed/1Line up Your MS Points – We Are Likely to See the Return of the User Created Avatar On Xbox Onehttps://www.worldtvpc.com/blog/line-up-your-ms-points-we-are-likely-to-see-the-return-of-the-user-created-avatar-on-xbox-one/
https://www.worldtvpc.com/blog/line-up-your-ms-points-we-are-likely-to-see-the-return-of-the-user-created-avatar-on-xbox-one/#commentsTue, 13 Jan 2015 21:02:27 +0000http://www.worldtvpc.com/blog/?p=43810
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]]>When Microsoft debuted the gaming console Xbox 360 in 2008, it introduced rare-created Avatars, a personification to represent the gamers user accounts, for which you could even buy new outfits to for MS points. The avatars didn’t seem to be such a big hit for Microsoft as they were no longer featured in the new generation console, Xbox One, when it was released in 2013.

However, Microsoft has now hinted that this may be about to change.

Microsoft has posted job postings on its site, seeking a few engineers to help bring the Avatars back to life in the Xbox One platform. They will “ensure Avatars are not only gorgeous, but highly performant [sic] across a wide scale of devices.”

“As we cross the threshold to a unified operating system and product experience across Microsoft, it is time to for Xbox avatars to also advance to the next level,” one of the posts says. “Come with us, as we take Xbox avatars on their biggest adventure yet in new Xbox experiences.”

It may seem hard to picture an Avatar in the Xbox One’s Windows 8 box-styled tile theme. In the older generation console, the Avatar would greet you when logging in. With the lauch of the Windows 10, an update to the On’e dashboard may not be far behind.

Microsoft’s Avatars were more popular than Nintendo’s Miis. Nintendo still continues to feature its Miis in the Wii and the Wii U. They are inserted regularly in games like Smash Bros and Mario Kart regularly. Avatars coming back shows that it was a popular trend which isn’t about to fade away soon. Users had complained that to unlock certain clothing items one had to spend Microsoft points, which should be free.

Microsoft has not commented on the job postings, nor made clear on a timetable of when to expect the Avatars. Some serious changes in the Xbox One User Interface is quite likely between the launch of Windows 10, Cortona and maybe now Avatars.

In what Dotcom describes as a Christmas Miracle, entrepreneur appears to have stopped Lizard Squad’s attack by offering them 3000 vouchers for premium Mega accounts, each being worth $99.

Lizard Squad has claimed responsibility for the DDOS attacks on the online gaming networks of Xbox and PlayStation, resulting in gamers being unable to play with friends online. People who recieved either console as a Christmas present were unable to register new accounts.

Kim Dotcom, an avid Xbox fan himself decided to take the matter into his own hands and negotiate with Lizard Squad via twitter.

Users were still able to play games, but activities requiring internet connectivity were rendered useless. Among them was Sony’s massive Holiday and Flash sales for the holiday season.

Sony was unable to reap the outcome of its much-anticipated sales when nobody was able to access them. The PlayStation Network is slowly recovering and still suffering outages in some regions, but players have missed out on more than three days of holiday deals.

Sony, in light of the festive season and on popular demand is extending the Flash Sale until December 31, which is today.

New games like Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and Dragon Age: Inquisition are also included in the sales. Games as latest as these are not often susceptible to discounts and are available at a whooping $45.

Popular games like Destiny, Tales from the Borderlands, NHL 15 and Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor are also included in the discounts. Games with a cult-like following have been heavily discounted as well: WWE 2k15, Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes and Battlefield 4.

Games based on TV Shows and movies have also been included in the holiday sale: Sons of Anarchy, Arrow and X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Extending the sales will not only bring in extra cash to Sony, but shows that the company is willing to go out of its way when things go wrong, especially when the electronics company was not at fault.

There isn’t much time left, so its wise to take advantage of the sales before they end!

A hacker group called Lizard Squad have claimed responsibility for the attack, leaving many new gamers disappointed. Some had received new consoles on Christmas and others were free at home for the holidays.

Reports of users being unable to connect popped up early Christmas morning. Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network both acknowledged issues with core services.

Apparently Lizard Squad attacked after weeks of threatening to make the systems go offline. In August, the same group was responsible for outages in the PlayStation Network and Blizzards, taking down games like League of Legends and Path of Exile.

On Friday, the Xbox status page reported that core services were “up and running”. PlayStation engineers said they were working on “network issues”.

There are 48 million subscribers to the online gaming network of Xbox and more than double that for the Sony PlayStation system, which has some 110 million users.

]]>The Sony Corporation is now teaming up with Samsung to produce a whole new generation of Samsung Smart TVs in 2015. Apparently, all of the Samsung branded Smart TVs are going to feature a brand new ability: To play Sony Playstation games without the use of a Playstation Console.

Sony’s Playstation Now service will be accessible on all of the 2015 Samsung Smart TV units with an internet connection in both the US and also in Canada. The first batch of new upgraded Samsung units is due to be released in the first half of 2015.

Although no Sony Playstation video game console unit will be required to access the Playstation Now service on the new 2015 Samsung Smart TV models, all users will need a Sony dual-shock Playstation controller which can be plugged directly into the Smart TV set. More than 200 Playstation 3 games will be available for instantaneous streaming from the World Wide Web straight to the Smart TV units.

Users of the Playstation Now service will not be required to download the PS3 games from the Smart TV app because the games will all be cloud-based. Players will be able to play games online against other users and save their game progress right in the cloud.

Due to the fact that the games will be streaming via internet connection, the concern of possible lagging issues has been considered. The company recommends all service users to ensure that they have a high-speed Internet connection fast enough to support video game streaming.

Neither company has released an exact launch date nor have they disclosed whether the Playstation Now service will be offered in countries outside the US and Canada. A sneak preview of the Samsung Smart TV units equipped with the new Playstation Now service will be presented at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show.

]]>The Sony Corporation obviously has no plans of slowing down their technological advancements, especially when it comes to their video game console area. Sony is already planning the design for the Playstation 5, even though the Playstation 4 is still pretty much in its prime.

The company is planning a much more advanced technological and somewhat futuristic design for the PS5. What are some of the specifications we can most likely be expecting to see in Sony’s next gaming console version in the Sony Playstation series?

Sony Corporation is certainly considering using the most dated technology for the upcoming Playstation 5 gaming console. It will be equipped with a super fast 3D stacked RAM variant and an extraordinarily improved processor and chipsets. The level of technology in the P55 will literally leave the Xbox One and even the system’s most recent predecessor, the PS4, “technologically outdated.”

With the number of 4K capable devices on the rise recently, Sony is planning for one of the essential features of the PS5 to be true 4K capable and be powerful enough to render 4K video games.

The Sony Playstation 5 may be a combination of both a physical video game disc player as well as cloud-based game console, although it has been rumored that the company has been floating around the idea of possibly doing away with the physical disc media playability function and designing the PS5 as a completely cloud-based gaming system.

Also, Sony has being throwing around a rumor about the Playstation 5 possibly featuring some standard peripheral virtual reality accessories or maybe even a as standard, or even built-in virtual reality capability. None of us will know for sure until Sony decides to officially announce the new model, but we can look certainly expect it to be a considerable upgrade from the Playstation 4.

]]>Last week marked the 20th anniversary of one of the most popular games consoles ever, the Sony PlayStation. Launched on 4th December 1994 in Japan, and a year later for the rest of the world, the PlayStation went on to sell over 102.49 million units. The launch well and truly raised the bar for gaming, revolutionising 3D graphics and introducing some of the biggest games series to the world. Classics such as Tomb Raider, Resident Evil, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and Gran Turismo all made the PlayStation what it is.

Back before the release in 1994, Sony had an uphill struggle to make an impact on the already busy gaming scene.

Sega and Nintendo had been battling at the top of video gaming since the late 80s, it would seem an impossible feat for a new contender to dethrone them. The bizarre origin of the PlayStation actually involved both Sega and Nintendo. In 1991, Sony announced they were working with Nintendo in designing a follow up to the SNES, a console with a CD Drive. But Nintendo pulled out of the deal, leaving the technology behind for Sony. Which ironically went on to become the console that overtook Nintendo’s own new console, the Nintendo 64. Before the failed Nintendo collaboration, Sony also considered working with Sega in developing a console, but Sega bosses in Japan were not happy and pulled the plug before the idea took steam.

The factor that really set Sony apart from the competition were the games that came out exclusively for the PlayStation. Capcom released the groundbreaking Resident Evil in 1996 to critical acclaim, and arguably spawned the survival horror genre that still exists today. Inspired by George Romero’s zombie films, the trailer for the sequel was even directed by the man himself, the game was truly groundbreaking.

George Romero with his friends

By combining horror, puzzle solving and resource-management with scarcely enough ammo to get through the game, Resident Evil reinvented the action game. A game series that didn’t start out on Sony’s debut console, but went on to establish itself as one of the PlayStation’s flagship series, was Final Fantasy. Originally a Nintendo exclusive, Sony managed to wrangle the series from its bitter rivals and Final Fantasy VII was released in 1997 to critical acclaim. Another game series that didn’t actually start on the PlayStation but became one of the household names in gaming, was Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid. Revolutionising the stealth genre in 1998, with an engaging storyline and movie-like presentation with professional voice acting and cinematic cutscenes, Konami’s Metal gear Solid went on to sell more than six million copies.

One of the largest selling points of the console was that it was aimed towards a more mature audience rather than the family-orientated consoles that had come before. This bold move paid off as it distanced itself from the cuddly, cartoony visuals and characters associated with Sega and Nintendo. A TV advert that ran after the release of PlayStation emphasised the move from children’s games to a more serious audience. By shifting the target audience, it ushered in a new era for console games. PlayStation introduced games series that were a lot more mature in theme and presentation, something only PC games had up to that point. Gaming was moving to a more mainstream acceptance, and PlayStation really helped achieve that. In the early 90s, console gaming was still very much underground or associated with kids, truly out of the mainstream conscience. This is very much different today with the popularity of games such as FIFA, Call of Duty etc, which appeal to such a wide audience.

Metal Gear Solid

What came next for Sony was even bigger. The PlayStation 2 launched in March 2000 and went on to outperform the original PlayStation, selling 100 million units within just five years of release. This was a feat the PlayStation took 10 years to do, becoming the first console to ever sell 100 million units. The impact of the original PlayStation is still felt today, with many games series that started back on the classic grey console still going strong today. With the PS4 now a year old, as much as gaming has changed, nothing will have the same impact as the original PlayStation had on gaming back in the mid-90s.

]]>[UPDATE]: Within a few minutes after the launch of the limited-edition, it was, not entirely surprising, sold out.
For those of us entering the Play Store receives a note saying “We appreciate your interest, but we will have no more inventory. Apologies for the inconvenience.”, we can only admire the video clip below, or get a hold of one through an Ebay auction at a slightly higher price.

For those of you who managed to get a hold of one of these bad boys, we salute you.

The original article is found below, and better luck next time.

The Sony PlayStation is coming up to its 20th birthday, and rather than sell some limited edition original PlayStation’s, which would surely be huge selling, Sony have decided on bringing out a limited edition PS4 instead.

To celebrate 20 years since the original PlayStation launched in Japan, a limited edition PS4 will be on sale, decked out in the original grey colour scheme. The console will also include the classic PlayStation logo and matching grey controller.

Sony haven’t just simply painted the console grey though, the attention to detail is impressive. Looking closely at the console, there is a repeated pattern of the classic Circle Cross Square and Triangle design repeated with a 20 in between all over the console. To finish the details, in the corner is a square silver plaque with PlayStation 20th Anniversary displayed.

Unfortunately, Sony missed a trick by not implementing backwards compatibility for original PlayStation games to work on the new console. But as with any new console now, the removal of backwards compatibility has left many gamer’s unhappy.

For now, the only way to get hold of one of these consoles is through the online Sony Store, but with only 12,300 consoles up for grabs, they won’t last long. With no mention of further sales, these limited edition consoles might already be rare. The original Playstation hit the shelves back in December 3rd, 1994 in Japan. But the US didn’t get their console until September 9th the following year.

Namely, the company is searching for technical engineers in order to “create high performance apps that integrate with Virtual Reality systems,” regarding to the posting, as noticed by 9to5Mac.

Apple announced: “We are looking for a software engineer to develop UI and applications to create next generation software experiences. The individual must be able to take participate in collaborative and iterative UI design through the implementation phases & complete performance user experience code for product delivery.”

Whether or not this suggest that Apple is looking to develop its individual VR accessory for iOS and Mac OS X products, or perhaps is trying to incorporate experiences for other systems, especially those suitable with iOS devices, stays to be revealed.

But we should keep in mind that Virtual Reality is a new technology and there is a lot of space for development, and other companies like Samsung and Sony are making progress in this area, so it seems reasonable that Apple might at least get a foot in.
Apple is very careful not to disclose anything about their upcoming plans and projects so we will probably not get significant information, if anything, until they are ready for it.

A single job posting for a position of a Virtual Reality Engineer will of course not create a Virtual Reality Program, although it is an indication that Apple is looking forward to that course. The following year, Apple is going to step into the wearables market launching the Apple Watch. The results of this project will certainly produce some influence if they will step in to one more new market, the Virtual Reality, or not.
Apple is usually an old fashion company when it comes to stepping straight into new market sectors which means that this single job posting might not really grow into anything immediately.

]]>There are casual gamers and then there are hardcore gamers – the difference between both groups, as one would guess, are often NOT so blurred.

That’s because, amongst many other defining characteristics, hardcore gamers usually tend to be a lot more quality-conscious, emotional and perhaps brand-loyalists when it comes to their games and gaming gears – that’s one reason why we never come across too many hardcore gamers who would shy away from spending big bucks on products meant for optimizing their gaming experience.

Yes, just because they are fun doesn’t mean that video games can’t mean serious business. Over the years, we have seen a number of instances when people were more than happy to spend large ridiculous amount of money in the name of nostalgia or for enriching their “limited-edition” collections. Here are five of those:

5# Optimus Maximus Gaming Keyboard

At approximately $1700, the Optimus Maximums gaming keyboard may not break your bank balance, but whether or not a lot of us would prefer spending that amount on a keyboard with little or no practical advantage over a “normal” high-end gaming keyboard is certainly not beyond the realm of doubts.

So, what makes Optimus Maximus so pricey? Does it have an “autopilot” mode that stands-in for you every time you have go on a loo-break or something? No, it doesn’t. But hey – each individual key in the keyboard is a 65,536-colour, 48 x 48 pixel, 10 frames-per-second, and customizable OLED screen.

Oh, and by the way, for reasons unknown (and unfathomable, if I may add), someone actually shelled out $2750 on eBay to own it.

4# Stadium Events – The Game That Brought Some Lucky Dude 45600% ROI

If you still own a factory sealed copy of some late 80’s limited edition video game, then rejoice! Here’s an inspiring tale for you. In January 2011, Stadium Events – a long forgotten game originally developed in 1987, was sold on eBay for a whopping $22,800. Considering that the game was originally priced at $49.95 back in 1987, the seller made an astounding 45,600 per cent profit.

Apparently, there were only 2000 copies of the game of which 200 had been sold before the project was dumped for eternity). As of today, no more than 20 of those copies still exist.

3# VRX Mach 4 Racing Simulator- Because Buying a Real Car For That Price Would Be Too Mainstream

This one’s for all racing game enthusiasts with spare $25,000 in their bank balance (or maybe pockets – depending on how filthy rich they are). For that price, you will get four Xbox 360s, three 37-inch 1080p HD LCD displays, a 7-inch adjustable rear view “rear view” display, a Microsoft steering wheel, automotive seat slider equipped with suspension base, 1500 watt vibration system, Boss Surround Sound, 1900 watt power amplifier, four copies of Forza 3 and a bar fridge.

2# The Emperor Workstation 200

If you did not find the VRX Mach Racing Simulator impressing enough, then here’s a $40,000 heavy weight (quite literally) that shows how far some people are willing to go to satiate their seemingly never ending appetite for video games. Weighing a little over 175kg, the Emperor Workstation 200 brings with it three 19-inch LCD monitors (synchronized); a built-in PlayStation 3; a 7-inch LCD touchscreen control interface; noise cancelling headphones (wireless); its own lighting system, an all-leather recliner; and a Blu-ray disc player.

1# Gold Plated Consoles

To this day, we haven’t been able to figure out WHY; but not so long ago, some good folks actually started thinking that ridiculously expensive gold-plated gaming consoles could buy you class. Why else would they make the PlayStation 3 Supreme – a 22-carat gold-plated console with a disc loader made of 58 0.50-carat diamonds?

If that doesn’t sound stupid enough (or if you are a Nintendo loyalist), then how about spending half-a-million dollar on the Wii Supreme ($485,000) made of expensive bling-bling metal?

]]>Over 5500 accounts have supposedly been hacked by the group DerpTrolling, who have claimed to have broken into Microsoft Live, 2K Games and Sony’s PlayStation Network. The group released their claim through Twitter and Pastebin, an anonymous text sharing website, with the following claim:

“Dear Internet, the following is a very small portion of Lord Gaben and the rest of his crews glorious raids across the high seas of the Internet, let this be a warning to all. Nothing is safe from Derp.”

But experts are beginning to doubt the validity of the bold claim. As many have noted that many of the so-called hacked accounts and passwords are in fact found from previous hacks. The group, DerpTrolling, are also claiming they have in their possession a further 7 million account details. But again, until either Sony, Microsoft or 2K games can confirm this, security experts are casting doubt across DerpTrolling’s claims.

If these claims of hacking are verified, it won’t come as welcome news to Sony, who have already suffered a number of security breaches since a major attack on the network occurred in 2011, resulting in the PlayStation Network shutdown for 24 days. The latest attack on Sony has come in the form of a hack into the systems of Sony Pictures, resulting in every single computer being shut down. A threatening message appeared on every computer screen from a group called GOP who are claiming they will release sensitive data unless their demands are met. It still isn’t clear what these demands are and why Sony has been targeted.

Any users who are concerned about their own account and data are advised to change passwords and to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity on their accounts until the hacking group’s claims can be verified or if indeed, were just trolling.

]]>South Park recently hit the nail on the head in their episode ‘Freemium Isn’t Free’, a satirical look at the state of mobile games and the rise of freemium/in-app purchases that populate mobile app stores. Matt Stone and Trey Parker take aim at the developers who willingly exploit the market of casual gamers. The developers in question are enticing gamers with a free game, only to hit them with pay walls strategically implemented to persuade players in parting with real cash just to continue playing.

The shift from simply parting cash before playing a full game, to ‘free’ games with an option to pay at a later date, should be a good idea. An idea that has existed for years, going back to magazines with demo discs on the front to try a game before purchasing.
But with mobile gaming, this trend has been skewed slightly, to maximise the money taken from gamers.

In-App Purchases (IAP) should really be a good move for both the player and the developer. It is a way for anyone to simply try a game, and if its worthwhile, part cash for it. Unfortunately the market is mainly split into two camps; premium games that cost $10+ or free games; littered with intrusive paywalls.
It is a huge risk to release a mobile game with an initial cost as the average mobile gamer is of the casual variety, and with so many ‘free’ games available, the general consensus is ‘why pay?’.

So developers have found a way to both entice the gamer and then spring payment upon them. It is the greedy nature of these practices that drive many people crazy.
Even big developers have turned to this model, and for the most part have failed in what should be the very core of gaming; fun. By taking successful and well loved franchises such as Rollercoaster Tycoon and Dungeon Keeper, developers have stripped away most of the game’s content, and subsequent enjoyment. Now filled with intrusive pay walls, they left hollow and unfulfilling versions in their place, much to the disdain of fans.

Unfortunately, this trend is not going anywhere soon.
For as much as this tactic infuriates many gamers, there are even more people funding this business model. Freemium apps seem to be the most profitable pricing strategy on the app stores and in turn, the most popular.
So if there are people who are more than happy to keep pumping money into these games then more and more companies are going to follow suit.
The biggest culprits in this rising trend are the highly addictive yet simple games that have no end in sight, no real aim, just never-ending grinding to progress for the sake of progressing. Games like these are free to download and quick to play, with an aim to entice the player enough to want to carry on playing. Before long, an IAP will pop up requiring real cash to continue.

Timers are a notorious way in playing against people’s patience, from racing games to strategy to even sports. They force you to choose between waiting out the timer or parting with money to continue.

The games industry on the whole is not very profitable, and even less so for indie developers. So no one can blame developers for following a successful business model in order to recoup some of the money poured into these games. But it is the manner of these IAP’s that can make or break a game.
Some freemium games take a more ethical and fair route in asking cash for their hard work, the modern day take on demo discs before running out to the shop and buying the full version. The issue here is that this model isn’t nearly as profitable as asking for money for as long as the game proves addictive enough to carry on playing.

Some say that the IAP trend is simply a return to the arcade days, pumping endless coins in the slots to carry on playing. But one fundamental difference is after the initial ‘Insert Coin’, reliance on your own skill is all you need to take you through the game. Only failure requires you to pay again. If arcades were like what freemium games are now, you would be required to pay every time you progressed through a level, and that isn’t so fun.

The fundamental problem that lies at the centre of mobile gaming and the constant battle for balance between enjoyment and profit for developers, is the reluctance of gamer’s to spend on mobile games. It isn’t out of the ordinary to splash over $50 on a console game, but with a mobile game, even $5 seems steep to most. With technology where it is today, the average smartphone now has a similar level of power of a PS2, so we should be living in a golden age of classic remakes and ambitious new games to play on the go.

Rockstar have been one of the very few developers to take advantage of this by releasing three hugely successful remakes; GTA III, Vice City and San Andreas, all to favourable reviews and millions of downloads. This proves people are willing to shell out for high quality, console-like games if they are given a chance to try it first.

Companies need to stop treating games as cash-cows at the expense of enjoyment. If developers learned to strike a balance between turning a profit whilst still making enjoyable games, everyone would be happy. IAP’s can still be implemented, but in an ethical and fair way, without detracting from the enjoyment of the game. The IAP can come into play after a free ‘trial’ for a player to see the game, with payment only asked to unlock the remainder of a game, and no further pay walls or restrictions. Ultimately however, if players continue to pump money into these games at every hurdle, and the profits to continue to rise, what incentives do the companies have for change?

]]>The fifth installment of Rockstar’s hugely successful series Grand Theft Auto was released back in 2013 and went on to sell more than 30 million copies. Now that the next generation of consoles have arrived, Rockstar have decided on giving Los Santos a Hollywood makeover. A teaser trailer showcased the new improved graphics overhaul and the introduction of a first person perspective. So what else is new and is it really worth buying again?

Newer consoles mean better graphics, and in turn Rockstar have cranked up the quality. Larger textures and crisper visuals mean further draw distances and busier traffic in the city. As if being chased by cops through downtown wasn’t difficult enough, now you have more cars to avoid. More importantly, the jump in visuals doesn’t have a negative impact on the performance, with Rockstar claiming the game still flies well at 30fps. The newly introduced first person perspective is a move away from the classic third person employed since GTA III launched on the PS2 back in 2001. Before then, a top down view was the way to wreak havoc and destruction since it controversially burst on the scene in 1997.

Aside from the visual aspects, the game promises all the previous free downloadable content available for the new consoles, including extra vehicles and weapons. Rockstar have announced its plans for more downloadable content in the near future as well as more than 100 new tracks for the radio stations in-game. For those who bought the game previously, Rockstar hope to entice them back in with the ability to import saved games over, as well as access to exclusive bonus content, including extra missions.

So if you’re wondering if you should fork out again for another copy of GTA V for the PS4 or Xbox One, the answer is yes. The sheer size and scale of the game is worth playing again even on the old consoles. As for this new, refined and improved version, along with all the extra content, it plays more as a new game rather than a lazy port. Those who are anxious for an updated PC version, Rockstar have slated a January 2015 release.

]]>When a major new video game comes out and there is any representation of a gun, you can rest assured that certain parts of the media will be all over it, first pointing out the morally corrupt parts of the title, then just waiting for the first major crime to come their way that they can tie in with the game somehow.

And they have often looked to back up those potential links with research that finds video games to desensitize and build up anger in users young and slightly older, but there is now a new study that has been thrown into that argument as part of the opposite side.

The study, conducted by the DeLand (Florida, USA)-based Stetson University, declared that video games are not resulting in more violent consumers. and that levels of ‘violent crime’ perpetrated by people in the 12-to-17 age group declined in correlation to increased video gaming, perhaps supporting the ‘let off some steam’ school of thought.

It was noted that the overall context of a game and its storyline in well-known franchises (such as Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty (pictured)), much like the context of movies, TV shows, or music receives under such scrutiny, should be considered before rival studies jump to rash conclusions.

Christopher Ferguson, the psychologist who led the examination, stated: “The degree to which laboratory studies faithfully capture the media experience is also debatable. Many such studies provide exposure to only brief clips of media, rather than full narrative experiences, in which violence exposure is outside of a narrative context.

“The resultant aggressive behaviors are also outside a real-world context, in which the aggression appears to be sanctioned by the researchers themselves, who provide the opportunity for aggression. The close pairing of clips of media violence with sanctioned aggression asks may also set up demand characteristics that may explain the small effects typically seen from such studies. The degree to which such studies, regardless of their inconsistent results, can be generalised to societal aggression remains debatable.”

With the all-clear from a university psychologist, then, you are free to view this clip as the virtual “Trevor” leaves his safehouse in the Vanilla Unicorn to rack up virtual crimes worthy of a virtual 5-star wanted level then virtually get away with it, whilst you watch with enjoyment and feel no need to go out and do the same in real life provided you are a relatively normal person, thus proving the sensationalist sources wrong, if they hadn’t already been long ago…

]]>In a confirmation of a move previously planned by the video-sharing website this summer, YouTube have revealed a new playback feature that allows users to watch certain videos at a frame rate of 60fps.

This rate is noted as being double what YouTube had had before their update, which was technically made shortly after the announcement but limited only to a select few video game trailers.

Now though, it appears as if general users of the site are able to make uploads in the format (or the middle ground of 48fps), with this weekend seeing a number of new videos arriving this way, and viewers able to display videos at the rate of their choice (or on auto-recommended) including the added higher-quality options.

The new frame rate is noted as being one that is able to compete with the output of many top-tier video games, naturally being the source of YouTube’s trial runs of the concept, the other side thankfully remembering that in this context FPS stands for ‘frames per second’ rather than ‘first-person shooter’.

The ‘YouTube Creators’ Twitter account had originally said of the feature on first announcement in late June: “60 FPS: Motion-intense videos will look even better on @YouTube when we launch support for 48 and even 60 frames per second, coming soon.”

And now that it is here, an example of 60fps on YouTube can be seen below: